Students Overworked

By Daisy Oram, Oakland| 10/6/2022

Newsom’s College Corps program does not strike me as a progressive move to support students get through college but a backhanded way of telling us we are not working hard enough. 

As a college student who understands the struggle of just trying to finish up my coursework, the thought of trying to fulfill 450 hours of public service is quite exasperating. As college students, we are asked to balance being a full time student, multiple extracurriculars, internships, volunteering, and now 450 hours of additional work just to pay for less than a year's tuition! 

For a public education, over $14,000 per year in tuition is outrageous! Education should be a free public service; however, as students just trying to make ends meet, we are forced to pay thousands for tuition, housing, and food. 

Newsom himself says, “I think you got to work for it” talking about student debt relief. What does he think millions of people are doing spending most of their adult lives trying to pay off student debt? Waiving student debt is not taking money from Californians, it’s giving back to everyone! 

Governor Newsom, I am asking you to reconsider your position on student debt relief.